No Going Back
by diginerd
Summary: Nine years ago, tragedy struck home for Davis Motomiya, causing him to leave town. In the heartache that followed, he severed all contact with his friends. Now he's back, and trying to find the man who he used to be, but someone isn't so happy about his return. I suck at summaries.
1. Prolouge: Tragedy Rears Its Dark Head

**Yo guys. This story is something that just popped in my head, so I decided to start writing it while I get over my frustration at the other fic I'm writing. Mainly with it, I felt I was going to fast while writing, so I'm going to take a slower approach to both from now on. So I'll be alternating between the two of them. The prolouge to this fic isn't as good as I could have made it, but I honestly only did it as an afterthought when I started to write the first chapter, and I really didn't feel motivated to go through the whole song and dance. Er, so to speak. I don't exactly know where this fic is going to go as far as the story line is concerned, but it will be a DaiKari. Eventually. Unless I change my mind, which isn't likely. Also, anyone who reads this and actually likes it, I'm in search of a beta reader. I'm not exactly sure how the whole process works, since I've only really been on fanfiction recently. But I do need someone to proof read, because I tend to make careless mistakes. Anyone interested can PM me, or leave say something in a review. First part of this chapter is actually when it's happening, second part is only what I can describe as a flashback. It's more or less just outlining the plot from where I'm going to lead it. Like I said, I was unmotivated. Lol. Eh, don't think I have anything else to say, so I guess it's on with the show. **

**Well there is the thing I've been forgetting in my other fic, so for my first time ever:**

**DISCLAIMER- I own nothing. Don't now. Never have, never will. Unless someday I become rich, like Bill Gates rich! (Which obviously won't ever happen.) But if I did, I would totally make an 03!**

* * *

**Prolouge**

"Aw, c'mon!" Daisuke Motomiya yelled at the sky. He was not having a good day. But to say that would be to say that Veemon was blue, or that MaloMyotismon had some anger issues. In other words, an understatement.

His day had began in its usual routine. Davis had overslept, and had to ran to school and made it into class just as the tardy bell rang. From there, his day had steadily declined. First, he realized that he forgot all of his homework at home. On normal days, this wouldn't have bothered him, but he couldn't help but mentally curse himself as his teacher came down on him like an avenging storm cloud. His teacher didn't bother him. Hell, this was almost an every day occurance in itself. What really made him mad was that he had actually done it this time! That had put him in a foul mood. It didn't improve as the day wore on. Over the couse of three periods, Davis was shouted down by his teachers, tripped and fell at least twice, and had run into a wall when he wasn't paying attention.

And then Kari and TK had dropped thier little bombshell on him. They were dating now. He didn't suppose that he was all that surprised. It was kinda impossible, after all this time, for him not to expect it. It hurt a much more than he expected it too though. It was as if someone had slashed his heart with a jagged knife. And to make matters worse (for Davis at least), they asked for the one thing he could never truly give. All Davis wanted was for Kari to be happy, even if it was at his own expense, so he granted their request, even though it felt as if he had washed his mouth out with acid, and that it was slowly eating its way down to his heart. So he did the only thing he knew that could make her happy: he gave them his blessing.

To make his bad day complete, his parents were late. They were supposed to pick him up after school so that the family could visit wit Jun for the weekend. Jun had gone off to college and had a nice apartment of her own now, and also had an amazing job at a clothing store. It was one of the more well known stores, and although it might not have been a glamorous job, it paid extremely well. Plus, it combined Jun's two favorite things. Cute clothes...and flirting with guys. While it might not have been part of the job description, Jun never lost a chance to bat her eyes at the male customers. So all in all, it was her dream job (for the moment anyways.) Davis was happy for her, even if it did annoy him to hear her talk about how great it was. He was hoping that tonight might take his mind off the pain that he was feeling right now. Sure, it would be a challenge to stay civil around Jun, but at least it was a distraction. The only problem was that she lived six hours away. But what was taking his parents so long? They should have been here an hour ago. No answer came from their cell phone, nor the house phone, so Davis could only assume that they were on thier way. _Probably left without me, _he thought darkly. He knew he didn't really believe that, but to be honest, after the day he had had, he wouldn't have been surprised.

Davis was so preoccupied with his thoughts, that he didn't even notice a black plume of smoke clouding the sky from a few miles away for the last half hour or so. Nor was he overly concerned when he heard sirens in the distance. He figured it wasn't any of his concern. Sure, he didn't like when people were hurt, but really, what could he do about it? It wasn't like he could go around mourning every little accident. Especially since he didn't even know the people.

Davis checked his watch. An hour and a half. What was taking them so long? No sooner had the flash of annoyance passed through his soul than a familiar looking car turned the corner of the road and headed in his direction. At first he thought that it might have been his parents. Same color, same brand of car. But no, this one was an older model. So why did it look so familiar?

Slowly, the car pulled up to the curve beside Davis, and the window rolled down, revealing a blue haired young man with glasses. "Joe?" Davis asked in surprise, before letting his face split into his trademark grin. "I would've thought you'd still be at the hospital interning with your dad? Either way, it's great to see you, man."

Joe took a deep breath and looked at Davis sadly. "I wish I could say the same, Davis." There was such sorrow in his voice that the grim immediatley faded from his face. "Davis, I don't really know how to say this. There's been an accident."

Dismay flooded into him, and a knot formed in his stomache. "Who?" he whispered. To be perfectly honest, Davis expected it to be one of their friends. But his day was about to get much worse than he ever even thought of.

Joe looked down at his hands, which rested on the steering wheel. Ice seemed to wash throughout Davis' viens as Joe said the words that would change his life forever. "Your parents."

* * *

In years to come, Davis could never quite recall every detail of what had happened after that. Some things, like the ride to the hospital and the phone call from Jun, were blurred and hardly remembered. Other things came in crystal clarity. Ironic how he the Joe's arrival was so clear, but most everything after that was blurred. He supposed it was the shock. He vaguely remembered arriving at the hospital with Joe, and the pain as he had to claim the bodies. He remembered with dull clarity sobbing into Joe's shoulder while the older man gently (if awkwardly) tried to comfort him, while Veemon (who had been in his bag beforehand) hugged Davis' waist, his own tears rolling down his blue face. Joe didn't try to tell them any of the regular crap like they'd be ok, or that everything happened for a reason. He didn't even try to tell Davis how sorry he was for him, which wouldn't have raised him on Davis' good books. He was just there, silently supporting and comforting his younger friend and his digimon. Davis was more grateful to Joe than he ever thought possible. He still was. Would always be.

He remembered the rest of his friends running into the hospital and seeing the bizarre scene. Davis didn't go to any of them, but rather stayed where he was with Joe. He saw the others own tears as they watched perhaps the strongest one among them break down. He remembered Kari burying her face into TK's chest as she wept, and how at the time, not even that mattered to him anymore. Nothing mattered. His parents were dead... For the next three weeks, Davis didn't utter another word. Nor did he let himself shed a single tear after that first day. He completely drew into himself, and shut everyone out, including Veemon, although the small dragon-like digimon never left his side even for a second. For Kari, Tai, and Ken, it was almost umbearable. They each felt personally responcible for helping him, but Davis would have nothing of it. They would talk to him for hours, but all Davis would do was stare off into space, and mourn for his lost parents.

Jun arrived the day after the accident, and through her own grief was somehow able to make the funeral arrangements. It was the second saddest day of Davis' life. The first came less than two weeks later. The court summoned Jun and Davis on Davis' living arrangements.

It didn't take very long. At first, Ken's family appealed to take him in, but were quickly shot down. They gave Jun two options. Davis could either go live with her, or he could go into the foster system for two years until he turned 18. Jun didn't even hesitate and agreed to the former option. Davis didn't mind. He almost didn't even care. He was long past caring what happened to him. But deep down, he was still the selfless leader he had always been. He knew that Jun needed a reason to go on. He was that reason.

He just thought he didn't care. They moved the next week. His friends all came to see him off, which nearly killed him. His heart broke even more with each of the ten faces he saw (Mimi still being in America.) He didn't say anything to them, and they didn't try to make him. They just told him how much they would miss him and Veemon. Veemon was going through a similar experience with the other digimon. He hugged Sora and Yolei, and even Joe. Although that was quick and slightly awkward for both of them. He shook hands with the rest of the guys, TK included. None of the old rivalry was in Davis anymore. They were just two heartbroken friends going theri seperate ways. Finally, there was only three people left. The three people who had tried the most to keep him going. His best friend, his mentor, and the girl he loved more than life itself, but would never actually have. Not that it mattered anymore, he had reminded himself.

Tai wasn't crying. His countenance was grim, and his eyes were bright with unshed tears, but he refused for that to be the last image Davis had of him befor he left. He gripped Davis' forearm and pulled him in to a rough hug. "Don't you ever give up, you hear me?" he had growled into his ear. More than anything, it was his mentor's words that actually kept him from giving up, no matter how much he wanted to. He had come close over the next couple of months, but he never gave in.

Ken was completely different. Tears were shed unmolested and without remorse. He said nothing to his best friend as he too hugged him. Davis knew that Ken would refuse to say goodbye. He wouldn't accept it as goodbye.

And finally, Kari. It hurt him more to see her face than any of the others. Partly because he had never seen her looking so miserable before. She wasn't crying, but she had been. It didn't occur to him at the time, but she had been crying every time he saw her over the three weeks following his parents' death. The last time he saw her before he left, her eyes were red and puffy. She sniffed every few seconds, and she looked like she hadn't slept well in a week. Needless to say, she was the most beautiful thing Davis had ever seen in his life. She didn't seem to know what to say to him (what could be said anyways?). So instead, she had hugged his neck for a whole minute, just holding him. When she let go, she wordlessly gave him an a package. She waited for him to open it before turning, and walking away, out of his life. It was a photo album, full of all the pictures Kari had taken of the group. The opening page was a picture of the two of them together by themselves. Kari was laughing, and Davis was grinning at her sheepishly. He had felt tears rise, and forced them back down. He would not cry. Not now, not ever again.

Just before he got in the car to leave, he said five simple words. The first words he had spoken in all that time. "I love you guys. Goodbye." And then he was gone.


	2. The Return

**Hey there everybody. 'tis me again. I want to give a special shout out to luis014, who has proofread the story for me. Nothing else new to say that I know of. -thinks, thinks, thinks- nope. Nothing on my mind. Welp. On with the story.**

** Disclaimer: As much as I wish I owned Digimon, I unfortunately do not. **

The roar of the motorcycle's engine was a soothing balm to Daisuke Motomiya. He had let his hair grow out so that it now reached his shoulders, and what wasn't covered by his helmet was whipped around, slightly tickling the back of his neck. The cool autumn air was brisk, but his leather jacket kept the chill at bay. He no longer wore the goggles that Tai had given him on his first trip to the Digital World. They were a sign of leadership amongst the Digidestined, and he was no longer a leader. He instead kept them in a special wooden box along with the old photos from the "golden days" that Kari had given him. He also kept his D3 and D-Terminal there, as there hadn't been any reason to use them in the last decade. The contents of the box were his most prized possessions. They reminded him of happier times. His partner and constant companion, Veemon, hung on to his waist as they sped down the high-way. He too was wearing a helmet that Davis had had custom made so it would fit his partner's oddly shaped head. They traveled light with just a duffel bag containing a few days worth of clothes for Davis and his box of treasured belongings

. Davis sighed to himself, letting the moment wash over him. He always felt better when he was out on the road. It gave him a sense of freedom that was otherwise vacant in his life. It was also one of his very few escapes from the demons that followed him around. One of the only times that he didn't think about his life, and where it didn't matter if he had no purpose. He didn't expect anything from himself, and he was able to just let go.

Nine years had passed since the accident that had ruined his life. Nine years since he had left Odaiba and the only people he truly cared for with it. Nine years of sadness and regret, of endless searching for the purpose that would give his life meaning again, something that he hadn't felt since he had moved away, all those years ago.

Thus, he had decided to return to the only place he had ever really called home. Even if only for a short while. He only planned to stay for a week or two. Planned, anyways. Davis never actually stuck to any of his plans though. He could never really tell how long he'd stay. Sometimes, it was longer than planned, sometimes much shorter. He rarely stayed at any one place for more than a few months before he became restless, and that would lead to an impromptu departure. Sometimes, he didn't even last a couple of days before the road called for him. There was no telling how long he would stay this time. This trip, like every other, was spontaneous. Davis had gotten homesick for the good old days, and that was that. They had their meager belongings packed, a full tank of gas, and a two day road trip.

Neither Davis nor Veemon knew what to expect when they got to Odaiba. Over the years, he had slowly lost touch with all of his old friends, the Digidestined included. The first year or so after he left had been very dark times for Davis. He had battled depression and nearly lost his will to live. He had pushed away everyone who tried to help him. Veemon had been the only thing that kept him from going over the edge most days. No one else was able to break through the barriers that he erected around himself. Not even Ken or Tai could get past them. He had known that they all worried about him, but at the time, he was too far gone to care. In the end, all he did was alienate them. Soon after he moved, they were unable to contact him at all. They hadn't exactly stopped trying to help, but at that point, the matter had been taken out of their hands. Even after he had pulled himself out of the darkness, he hasn't t tried to reopen communication. He had been too embarrassed that they had seen him like that, and he didn't know how he could ever face them after that. It wasn't until much later that he realized that he had forgotten what friendship was, and that his pride had played an important role in his decision. By the time he figured that out, he knew he was much too late to go back. He hadn't even seen them since he left, as he had been roving around since the day he graduated school. He had never stayed in one place long enough for them to catch up with him even if they had wanted too. Which he was almost certain they didn't.

Veemon had initially attempted to keep contact, but in the end, he too failed. He spent all of his time with his partner, doing everything in his power to pull him out of the abyss that threatened to engulf him. Not to mention the sadness that he himself had to deal with. Davis' family had been like his own. It hadn't hurt him as much, but it had still caused him a great deal of pain. He kept in touch by sending messages through Davis' D-terminal, but eventually, it got to where that slowly stopped, as the two of them were always too busy and he forgot. He still did message them from time to time, but not enough to know how they felt about them.

So the two partners rode on, not knowing how this was going to play out, nor how they would be received when they actually arrived. Davis wasn't even completely sure that he wanted to contact his friends. Or ex-friends, as the case may have been. He just had to find a place to stay first before he made any decisions as to that dilemma. He usually just went to a hotel until he was able to get settled in. He had the money to rent an apartment, but he didn't like going that route right after he arrived at a new location. Not until he was sure that he would be staying for a while. He never had trouble finding work. He was a handsome young man with a worker's physical to him. Not to mention the charm that he could call up on demand. He didn't have the same charisma as he did when he was a kid, but what he did was more than enough to get by with, so he never really had to worry about money. He had learned early, that on your own, you had to save for the future or end up hungry when it really counted. With that in mind, he had saved all of his spare money, and had a nice little chunk of change to fall back on if he needed it.

When the city finally came into view, Davis couldn't help but smile. Here was his home. So familiar, yet at the same time, it was new. A sight that Davis had only dreamed about for the last nine years. Granted, at least half of them were nightmares, but still. He felt Veemon's grip on him lessen by a fraction, and knew that his partner was feeling the same sense of nostalgia he was experiencing.

As they road through town, Davis marveled over the place of his childhood. Everything was exactly as he remembered it, with few exceptions. There were new and different stores, but essentially, it was all the same. Memories kept bubbling up into his mind, unbidden. Bittersweet memories. Flashes of scenes wove their way into his sight as if the ghosts of his past decided to come to life, for just a moment. Not that it overly distracted him from the road. Due to the accident that had killed his parents, he had made a silent vow to himself to always drive safely, and to never on any circumstance, to drink alcohol. This was no exception.

There were dozens of broken images. There was the street where his dad had taught him how to ride his bike. The store that his mom used to shop at, and where she would always buy him a candy bar with a wink. "Just their little secret" she would always say. Even the clothing store that Jun had dragged him to, so that she could help him find his "look" for an upcoming dance, where he had been hoping to impress Kari. Aside from the years after the accident, that was one of the only times that Jun had shown her loving sisterly side. It was still one of his fondest memories of her. Some of the fondest memories of his parents, too, now that he thought about it.

He usually kept memories of his family off limits to himself, since they had a habit of sending him into another slight depression. But it was different now. Davis didn't ponder on the reasons much, as he drove them confidently towards the hotel that he had decided on before starting out. The reasons just didn't seem relative right now, and if there was one thing he had learned while out of his own (and Veemon) was that you couldn't force things. If it was important enough, it would come to you in time.

He passed by an old pizza place that he used to eat at with the other Digidestined. It had been his favorite restaurant by far. He had even become friends with the owner. He noticed a "Now Hiring" sign on the inside window, and filed it away for future reference. If he decided to stay for a while and get a job, that would be able to hold him over until he could find something better. Maybe he could use the sway from his past to land the job, no problem.

It took them about ten minutes to make their way through town to their destination. Davis knew exactly where it was, and had picked it for specific reasons. Mainly because it was near the soccer field that he had spent so much time at as a kid. He hadn't played since the day of the accident. Hell, he hadn't even touched a soccer ball since then. It was one of the smaller things he regretted, but it was a regret regardless. He had loved that game. It was one of the things that gave him pleasure, but just like with everything else he cared about, he abandoned it and forgot about it. It had actually been one of the things that Veemon had tried to use to pull him out of his depression. One of many, many failed attempts. It was one of the places that Davis had missed the most, and one of the places he was determined to visit while he was there. He had some soul searching to do, and he was starting at the bottom of his list on the "most important" factor.

Davis parked his motorcycle outside the building, and he and Veemon proceeded in to book a room. Davis couldn't help but smirk as the clerks eyes widened as he caught sight of the blue digimon that accompanied Davis, but he was either tactful or indifferent enough not to ask questions. Davis was silently thankful that the man didn't see Veemon as a "pet," as was known to have happened in the past. It infuriated both of the partners, but Veemon to a far greater extent than himself. It only caused problems, leading them to either be thrown out or leaving angrily. While digimon were common knowledge now, there still weren't all that many around. In fact, as far as Davis knew, the only Digidestined in Japan were the twelve from Odiaba. Needless to say, they weren't very common, even if the greater part of the Digidestined of Japan lived in Odaiba. The clerk quickly told Davis where their room was, before wordlessly handing him the keycard.

Davis carried the duffel bag up to the room while Veemon went back outside to wait patiently by the motorcycle. The only reason he had gone in the first place was to see how they would react to his presence. He was apparently satisfied, as he offered no complaints. Davis didn't stay in the room long. Just long enough to get his bearings. It was the same old, same old as he'd been dealing with for the last few years. Nothing special about the place. Same scene different location. He left his stuff on the bed and went to rejoin his digimon partner.

The two stared at each other solemnly before they turned and walked towards one of the sanctuaries of Davis' childhood. Neither of them had spoken a word since this morning, and neither of them broke their silence now. This may not have been an extremely serious visit, but it was still important. Besides, what was there to say? They were both feeling the surrealness of the moment. This trip as a whole was something that they had been wishing for and dreaming about for the last nine years.

As they entered into the park, Davis couldn't help but marvel. It was like he stepped straight back in time. Everything was exactly as he remembered it. The playground for the smaller kids was still there, overrun with shrieking toddlers and preschoolers. Mothers gossiped with one another, while keeping eagle eyes on their respectful charges, and a dog walker was passing by, struggling with everything from Saint Bernard's to Chihuahua's. There was even a soccer game being played on the old soccer field. By the looks of it, it was a "pee wee" game. They were all little kids, and all around the age of five. Parents sat in the bleachers, not really paying attention to the game. It was really obvious that they were here for nothing more than moral support.

"I remember my first soccer game," Davis said quietly, his voice slightly hoarse from disuse. Veemon looked at Davis sadly, but didn't say anything. He knew this was something his partner needed to vent uninterrupted. He walked trance-like towards the field as he continued. "I was so nervous. Nobody would have thought I had 'stage fright,' not as hyper as I was. But let me tell you, Vee. I was more nervous in front of all those parents than I was in any situation in the Digital World."

-Flashback-  
_  
"I don´t wanna go!" the small child wailed as he was drug along by his dad. He was wearing his bark blue soccer uniform. He had tried everything in the book. He had faked being sick. His parents saw right through him. They enticed him with the prospect of ice cream, and damn him if he didn't love that rocky road. His family walked to the park, and with every step, his butterflies got worse and worse, and soon, even the thought of ice cream later wasn't enough. He tried various techniques. He simply stopped walking, but his dad had taken his hand and pulled him along. He had cried, but his parents just smiled and started talking how peaceful it was that day. He had even go as far as to try and trip himself so that he could fake an injury, but his dad had kept him steady, a knowing look on his face. _

_ But he didn't give up. One of the key characteristics to the child's already larger personality was his bullheadedness. The determination was something that people admired, if a bit grudgingly. That went double for his parents and his pre-school teachers. They all knew that he could be anything he wanted to, because once his mind was set, he never wavered. The downside to that was when he got something, well, not quite ideal, in his head. Like climbing to the top of a tree that was taller than a two story house. That experience had been traumatic for Mrs. Motomiya. While she had fainted the moment she saw him in the tree, Davis had sat at the top of the tree, smiling his mischievous smile and waving down to his family._

_ Without exception, Davis always seemed to accomplish what he set his mind to. But not this time. His father was showing exactly from which side of the family that stubbornness came from. Mr. Motomiya had only seen him play once, at a practice, but that was all it took to see that his son was a natural on the field, and better still, he enjoyed it. The look on his son's face had been brighter than the sun, and the smile on his face would have seemed disproportioned on his small frame, had it not been Davis. His father was determined to see his son through this, whether he was up to it or not._

_ It didn't take them long to arrive at the field, despite Davis' attempts to hinder them any way he could. Many boys on the team were already there, their parents already occupying the stands. One of the boys called out to Davis, and Davis in return returned his greeting with a half hearted wave. Jun walked off to hang out with one of her friends who also had a brother playing on the team, not saying a word to her kid brother. Pecking him on the forehead and wishing him luck, Mrs. Motomiya too went to talk to some of the other soccer moms. _

_ Davis sulked at his father's side, making a point to look anywhere but at the soccer field or his father. But his father was observing him closely and saw the longing glances he snuck at the other players. And the terrified ones he threw towards the bleachers. Smiling lightly, his dad kneeled down next to him, and turned him so he was looking him in the eyes._

_ "Davis, I know that you're nervous. I see it in your eyes. All that I ask of you is that you go out on that field, and try your hardest. After this game, if you still want to quit, then I will let you. But I have faith in you, m'boy. I know that without a doubt, that you'll be great on that field. I would bet you anything." he said, with an encouraging smile. _

_ At first, Davis just stared at him disbelievingly, but little by little, a smile spread across his face. "Ya think so?" he asked a little hesitantly. It was obvious that he wanted to believe his father, but was still unsure of himself. All he needed was more encouragement, which his dad happily gave. _

_ "I'm sure of it son. And no matter what happens this afternoon, I'll be proud of you for giving it your all. No matter what." _

_ Davis nodded solemnly before grinning. "Alright, well I'd better go and warm up if I'm gonna go whoop some tail." Mr. Motomiya chuckled as he dashed out onto the field. For the remainder of the warm-up, Davis kept a smile on his face, and by the time that the game was ready to start, his confidence had increased tenfold. Just before the kickoff, Davis spared a glance over at the bleachers. His dad was sitting on the bottom row with a giant foam finger on each of his hands, and a mischievous look on his face. He held his hands up and started cheering while the other parents were giving him odd looks and slight smiles. He saw Jun turn away, her face blood red from embarrassment. He locked eyes with his dad for a moment, and his dad gave him a quick wink._

_-End Flashback-_

"...and I scored four points for my team that day." Davis said staring off into the distance, not realizing the game was over. He hadn't noticed anything since he had started his story. He and Veemon had sat down on a bench close to where they had been standing, and Veemon was listening intently to his partner's words. There was a small smile on his face as if he was imagining a young Davis and his foam finger-handed father. "I know it was a stupid thing to be worried about, Vee, but to be honest, that was the first time I actually was scared to do something. It meant a lot to me. More than I would have admitted at the time, anyways. I was afraid of failing at something I loved so much." Davis looked at the soccer field and blinked in surprise. "Well, I guess I missed the end," he said, a little sheepishly.

Veemon chuckled a bit before answering. "Haha, that you did. But I think you found something better. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Not entirely," Davis answered slowly. "But it is progress, I guess. Didn't mean to make that rhyme by the way."

"Surrrrrrrrrreeeee ya didn't," Veemon responded, winking at his friend.

"Ah shut up, you little goof ball," Davis joked, rolling his eyes. "I guess we can go for now Veemon. I don't know if I'm done with this place completely yet, though." He sighed, staring down at his hands. The seriousness of the moment was cut short, however by a loud gurgling noise that seemed to be originating from...Veemon's stomache? Veemon quickly slapped a hand over his growling abdomen before looking over at Davis sheepishly. Davis stared at him in disbelief for a second before busting out into laughter. "Dude!" he exclaimed, his sides still shaking from mirth. He couldn't continue as Veemon's expression changed from sheepishness to one of mock offence. He really did look comical. His laughter just increased in volume, and it wasn't long before Veemon started giggling uncontrollably as well.

"Oh, it feels good to laugh!" Veemon exclaimed, rubbing a tear off his face.

"Speak for yourself!" Davis managed to say, while trying to gasp for air. "My sides are hurting!" For some unknown reason, this sent Veemon into another fit of hysterics, which caused Davis to too succumb once again. Davis didn't know how long they continued like that. It didn't really matter to him, nor did the odd looks passersby threw their way bother him at all. Veemon was right. It did feel good to laugh. It wasn't something they genuinely did much lately.

"Davis? Daisuke Motomiya? Veemon? Is that you?" a voice rang out over their mirth. A very familiar voice. A voice straight out of the past. Almost immediately, their laughter subsided. Davis looked up to see a figure approaching him.

_Oh no_, he thought in dismay. _It seems like fate has decided to step in. Looks like my arrival won't be as quiet as I had hoped it would be..._


End file.
